The passion is back

Sunday

May 30, 2010 at 12:01 AMMay 30, 2010 at 10:00 AM

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - It seemed the most innocuous of plays, a short corner played from Landon Donovan to DaMarcus Beasley at the Confederations Cup last June. Except the ball rolled under Beasley's foot and was whooshed downfield by Brazil for a searing counterattack goal.

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - It seemed the most innocuous of plays, a short corner played from Landon Donovan to DaMarcus Beasley at the Confederations Cup last June. Except the ball rolled under Beasley's foot and was whooshed downfield by Brazil for a searing counterattack goal.

Beasley was replaced at halftime of that eventual 3-0 defeat and did not play again in the tournament. It seemed as if he might never get on the field again for the United States.

"It has got to be earned," coach Bob Bradley said. "It's got to be earned on a regular basis. When you come into camps, you've got to have that right mentality. You've got to play well. It's not a given. Especially if a player is going through a tough stretch at his club, it's sometimes a case where things slip."

At the time, Beasley had been struggling with injuries and rust with his club team, the Glasgow Rangers. Nine months later, Bradley gave him another shot with the national team. Beasley responded with an energetic performance, assisting on the American goal with a free kick in a 2-1 defeat to the Netherlands in March.

Beasley's familiar daring, quickness and mobility in that match earned him a spot on the 23-man World Cup roster.

Beasley was in a much more precarious position than he was for the two previous World Cups. In 2002, he was an emerging attacker. In 2006, he fumed at playing right back against the Czech Republic, but later provided a fabulous assist to Clint Dempsey in the final group match against Ghana. This time, he was a bit on the fringe to make the team.

"I enjoy the competition with some of the younger guys, getting into tackles. I don't have anything to prove to anybody," said Beasley, who turned 28 on Monday.

On a team left unsettled by injuries, Beasley's versatility could be his most valuable asset. Against the Netherlands, he played on the right and the left side of midfield. And he can play left back in an emergency. At his best, he is a speedy, slashing attacker and a willing defender.

In that March defeat in Amsterdam, Donovan noticed a yearning in Beasley, a light that seemed to come on when his national team career appeared to be going forever dark.

"I think he's figuring out now what it takes to be an elite player," Donovan said. "We all figure things out at different points. It just seems like something has switched on and he realizes what this means. It's good to see him passionate and really wanting this."

The passion to participate in another World Cup, especially one in Africa, has always been there, Beasley said. Yet, he admits that he played listlessly at the Confederations Cup, perhaps discouraged by nagging injuries and his lack of playing time with the Rangers.

"I've always been confident in my own ability, but it wasn't clicking at the time," Beasley said. "It was disappointing, frustrating. I just thought I could come on the field and play like I usually do. Obviously, it didn't happen. I blame, I put everything, on myself. It's all on me."

He was not called in for the remaining World Cup qualifying matches last summer and fall. His 2009-10 club season with the Rangers became an awkward, erratic affair. A thigh injury in January kept him out for seven weeks. On Feb. 1, his BMW was firebombed in a much-publicized incident outside his Glasgow home.

The Daily Record newspaper of Scotland reported that the car might have been targeted by local gangsters over a relationship Beasley had with a woman. Others have speculated that the bombing might have been sectarian or racial in nature.

"It's not a subject I want to talk about," Beasley said.

Toward the end of the club season, the Rangers seemed to be reluctant to play Beasley as his contract ran out. Still, he received another shot with the national team and will play in a third World Cup.

"My head's on right," Beasley said. "I feel confidence from my teammates and coaching staff. Sometimes, players need confidence from coaches and players to push them. Once I got their backing, it made me fit in easier."

Beasley said he plans to simply play his usual high-energy style.

"I don't want try to do too much and make it worse," he said. "I'm confident in training. Hopefully, that'll lead into the games."